BLINK OF AN EYE
by Jedi-Master-Nightwing
Summary: AU. "Why'd you do something so stupid, you idiot?" "Does that mean thank you?" Wally, Kid Flash, deals with the consequences of Nightwing's (Dick Grayson's) split second decision to save his life; and get paralyzed from the lightning strike in the process. "You didn't have to save me, you know." "Right. Way to stay whelmed, Kid Mouth."
1. Change of Fate

**Warning: Rated T for some language**

**A/N: Ok, so I read up a bit on lightning strikes and side effects, so I hope the information for this story is correct. It will be a shorter one, not too many chapters, very similar to my other fanfiction, "Homecoming". **

**A/N 2: Want a type? Go to YouTube and listen to the song "Save You" by Simple Plan. I did while writing this. Also, if you are reading "Homecoming", listen to "Gone Too Soon" by Simple Plan **

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Bright blue crashed against the pale white of the snow and ice. Amongst the sounds of lightening clashing and the whining of a faint tornado came the pained, panicked yelp that was torn from what could only come from one particular voice.

"Wally!" M'gann cried out as she recognized the shout, which was quickly followed by another.

"He's not fast enough!" Blue Beetle exclaimed, eyes wide as they watched the three Flashes race around and around that damn device. "The lightening… it's…it's…" He couldn't finish.

Everyone stood there, paralyzed from fear and horror. Artemis fell to her knees and clutched at the frozen water beneath her. "No, no, no! Why'd he have to go in there?! Why?!" Her cries were matched by the others.

In fact, the only person that didn't make any sound or movement of anguish was the tall, young man dressed in black Kevlar who stood in the front of the group, too stunned to show any of his inner distress.

Another squeal from the Kid Flash.

Nightwing's entire body seemed to tremble as his eyes widened. _He's…he's gonna…oh god, Wally's gonna…_

They could all hear Impulse shout out, "Wally, get out, now!"

Nightwing took a step forward.

Then, Kid Flash let out a _scream_.

That one sound, so full of distress and pain and _fear_ was what sent the gears in his mind and heart moving. Without warning, without _thinking_, Richard (Dick) Grayson shot forward, running faster than he ever had in his entire life.

"Nightwing!"

The cry fell on deaf ears, the raven-haired vigilante sprinting towards the three Flashes. The scream came again, and by this time, Nightwing was near enough to launch himself in the air with every ounce of strength he could muster. "Wally!"

He _slammed_ into Wally West, sending both boys reeling right into the center of the tornado. There was a tremendous _CRAAAAASH!_, as Impulse and Flash finished their mission. The lightening flashed once more, blinding everyone as a small explosion and clap of thunder had everyone dropping to their knees from the impact.

Snow and ice whipped around in the air from the still violent wind left over from the tornado which just saved the world. For several nerve-wracking moments, nobody dared to move.

Wally was the first to jump to his feet, shaken, trembling, but _alive_. "You idiot!" he screamed in the direction of the Young Justice team leader, ripping the mask off his face and revealing eyes widened to the point of perfect circles. "What the hell were you thinking?!"

Nightwing made ready to shoot the other boy a teasing grin and some cracking remark; but the smile died on his lips immediately as he felt a white hot, burning pain shoot through his entire body. He gasped, and instinctively, brought his knees to his chest and curled up on the cold ground, which only made the burning worse.

Immediately, Wally dropped to his knees near him. "Nightwing?" he asked, voice trembling. As a response, all he could do was squeeze his eyes shut and let a single tear of pain roll out from beneath his mask. _Oh god, it hurts…_

"Dick?" Wally was more panicked as the Flash moved over to them, and the rest of the team began running over, most of them gaping still from shock at what had just happened. When he still received no response, he shouted, "Dick?! Dick, answer me!"

All he could register was the pain, the agony that wracked his body relentlessly. He couldn't speak, could barely think. His vision and hearing were becoming fuzzy and distorted as well, but the pain was still clear as day… Not so much soreness as a scorching sensation. _Burning_, he managed to register in his mind. _The lightening, I must've been hit… oh god…_

Wally was still yelling at the younger boy, while the Flash removed his own cowl, becoming Barry Allen. Now was not the time to worry about secret identities – he saw that as soon as he laid eyes on the young hero's face, twisted with suffering. "Dick," he called softly. "Dick, can you tell me where it hurts specifically. Dick, can you answer me?" His eyes rested on the two escrima sticks that now lay on the snow near their owner. Frowning, he leaned forward, and bit back a cry when he saw the ugly dark red skin that showed through the torn part of the Kevlar, which had been burnt away from the metal sticks. _Oh Jesus…_

All that Dick managed was a gasp that sounded more like a sob as his throat began throbbing as well. He'd been tortured with electricity before, but holy shit, this was like nothing he had ever felt before…

And then he was being scooped up in a pair of arms, arms too strong to be Barry's… Superboy. Superboy had come and now carried the smaller hero back towards the bioship, instantly watchful of his back burns. The pain magnified, but he endured it, knowing it meant getting back home, back to Batman. _C'mon Grayson, toughen up._ But the jolt of being brought inside and laid on a small cot was enough to force for salty teardrops rolling down his face, coming more freely when Barry gingerly reached forward and carefully peeled the domino mask off his face, revealing bright blue orbs swimming with turmoil.

Wally was at his side in a flash (no pun intended), and he stood there, speechless, as his uncle ordered M'gann to immediately head back towards the Watchtower. No use going to the Batcave – Watchtower had better medical supplies, and besides, Batman was already there. After hesitating a moment, M'gann said she would also contact the Dark Knight about his former apprentice's situation – her own eyes were glassed over as she entered the cockpit with Blue Beetle as copilot.

Everyone was huddled in the small med bay until Barry had enough and told everyone to go the passengers hold – he needed space. Only Wally firmly protested the order, so he remained, staring at the younger boy that lay on the bed before him, in too much pain to speak.

After setting up a heart monitor, Barry left to talk to the Batman via comm unit, for M'gann was too shaken by now to make it clear what had happened. So Wally sat alone at the bedside.

"You moron," he muttered bitterly, gripping the sheet underneath Dick tightly. The former Robin had his eyes closed again, and his breathing was becoming ragged, even with the oxygen mask Barry had forced over his nose and mouth. He lay on his side, but Barry had been too afraid to touch the back injuries for fear of infecting them or making them worse.

Dick could see the worry and frantic concern in the redhead's face, but his throat still ached, his head throbbed, and he felt like fire was lacing from his back all the way down to the sole of his foot. He'd read about lightning strikes before. _But I can't remember what they said… my head hurts too much… oh god, am I dying? I feel like I'm dying. _He took a shuddering breath, and then felt as if his lungs had ignited, which resulted in a coughing fit. And that nearly had him pass out from the pain that immediately swam through his chest.

Wally placed a panicked hand on the younger boy's shoulders as he began hacking and then groaning, tears wetting his cheeks once again. His pulse was weak, and suddenly, all his former anger he had held prior to this assignment, the accusations that fell from his lips, the bitterness he had held all this time, vanished. "It'll be okay, Dick. We're getting you to help." _Why'd you have to save me, you stupid, stupid fool_. "We're almost there. Batman will know what to do." _I should've been hit by that last bolt, not you. What were you thinking? _Were _you even thinking? Why are you always so willing to sacrifice yourself for others? Even after our last argument_. "I'm sorry." Those last words, were spoken in a whisper, and he wasn't even sure Dick could hear them through his pained gasps and sobs.

_God, help us…please…_

_…__Don't let him die…_

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**Not my most fantastic writing, but it's midnight here. I'm tired.**

**Robin: No excuses**

**Me: Shut up**

**Anyways, here's part one for ya. Whatdya think? Please, leave a review! They mean so much, and it'll help me out a lot so I know how this story is, and if I should keep going. Should I? Tell me your thoughts by leaving a comment**

**Robin: Comment! Comment! Comment! Comment!**

**Me: You certainly are nothing like the Batman, are you?**

**Robin: *snickers***


	2. No More Secrets

**A/N: All the feedback! I can't believe it! Here's a hint for this fanfiction: Batgirl is not here. I just don't know enough about her character to put her in here, sorry! But Barbara Gordon does not exist here.**

**Okay, on with chapter 2! :D**

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How long was he sitting on the side of that bed? A half hour? Two hours? He didn't know, and he didn't care. He was too busy drowning in his shock, anger, and hurt that he only snapped back into reality when the ship gave a sudden jolt, which meant they had landed.

Barry was in the room within seconds of the landing, quickly followed by Batman himself. Wally jumped to his feet and stumbled back as he recognized the Dark Knight's presence. He was silent and his face emotionless beneath the cowl as usual; but there was a stiff rigidness to his movements, and his voice didn't sound so gruff as he stood near his son's side. "Nightwing? Can you hear me?" Then, noticing the mask was off the boy's face, "Dick? Dick?"

No answer.

That was all it took before the Batman had swept the younger hero into his arms, long, dark cloak partially hiding and seemingly protecting his former sidekick as the Bat quickly left the ship without saying another word, Barry on his heels.

Wally was left alone, standing pale and stricken in the corner, his eyes glued to the floor.

_How had all of this happened?_

He remembered running, and then crying out at the sharp pain that kept running through his body every time he was struck by the lightning. And then the heavy weight slamming into his own body, knocking him out of the twister, saving his life. _But I might've been able to handle that last blow_, he thought, clenching his fists. _I have super speed healing. Dick doesn't. He's _normal_. A normal human. He could be dying. He's probably dying… oh god, Dick's dying!_

He was out of that ship in a blur of yellow and red.

He stumbled into the Watchtower, which was buzzing alive with stress and desperation now. He burst forward, noticing the sight of a door leading into a medical room closing; but he reached it just as it locked.

"No! Let me in!" He began pounding his fists on the heavy metal with such speed that his hands were just a mess of colors until a hand clasped his shoulder. Wally spun around to see Barry staring at him sadly.

"Wally, you can't go in there. Dr. Thompkins is with Dick now, and Batman. They need to work alone…"

Angry, Wally shrugged off his relative's touch and stormed over to a nearby bench, sitting down on it and then letting lose and angry howl, bringing his fist down to crush part of the armrest. "Why'd he have to be so stupid?! I should be in that room, not him! This was my mission! Gah!"

Grimacing, Barry sat down next to the younger Flash and grasped both his hands, ignoring the weak struggling he received in response. "Wally, stop this. Stop it now."

Shoulder's slumping down, the redhead shuddered, biting back a sob, shaking his head. "Why did this have to happen? Why is this happening? Oh god…" _The last time we had a conversation I blew up in his face, shoved him around, accused him of being reckless and endangering lives… oh god, I never apologized for that... _"He can't die, Uncle Barry," he whispered quietly. "He can't… I never told him… I never got to… He can't die! He just can't!"

"He won't, Wally," was the quiet response. "Dick is a tough kid, you know that. You've seen him pull through some heavy crap. He'll be okay."

"You don't know that for sure."

A sad gleam twinkled in the older Flash's eyes. "No. No, I don't, Wally." A comforting pat on the shoulder signaled that they had to end the conversation. "Batman ordered everyone to wait out in the front room – Artemis is a wreck. You should go to her."

Feeling a bit numb, Wally nodded and stood up on his shaking legs, for once his pace slow and mechanical as he walked into the front lobby.

The team was waiting around impatiently on the sofas and chairs. Blue Beetle and some of the newer members leaned against the walls, anxious for their leader. But the original members, M'gann, Superboy, Artemis, and Aqualad were on the couches, huddled together. The girls had tears in their eyes, Aqualad seemed to be quietly grieving, and Superboy… Superboy just looked plain furious. Outraged.

Wally moved over to the blonde archer, who immediately grabbed her fiancé and jumped into his arms. "Don't ever scare me like that again," she managed to say, burying her head in his neck. "Oh god, Wally…"

"Shh… I'm here, Blondie," he choked out, sitting down in between his fiancée and Superboy.

"How is he?" Conner's (Superboy's) voice was gruff, as usual; but Wally could pick out the concern laced within it.

"I-I don't know." Oh, how he hated those three words. _Dick, you crazy moron…_

There was a heavy, unbearable few minutes of silence before Blue Beetle spoke up. "…So… So his name's Dick?"

_Damn, the secret ID's_. But at the moment, Wally didn't care. Batman could lock him in the same room as the Joker for 24 hours for all he cared at the moment – now was not the time to be keeping secrets. It was about time they knew anyway. "Yeah," he said shakily. "It's actually Richard. Richard Grayson."

Artemis's head flew up so fast she nearly broke his nose. "Bruce Wayne's son?" she gasped through tears. "I-I… oh god, I knew… I _know _him! He w-went to my school!"

Wally nodded as Wonder Girl bit her lip from across the room. "I saw him in the newspaper a few times. Mr. Wayne took him in as a ward."

Impulse (Bart Allen) wrapped his arms around himself, him being one of the few who had already known about Nightwing's identity: himself, Wally, and Beast Boy.

Suddenly, there was a bright blue flash from behind, and then the zeta tubes announced an arrival. _/RECOGNIZING: ROBIN, B0-2/_

And then the fifteen-year-old Batman protégé stumbled into the Watchtower. From his messy appearance, he had gotten dressed in a flurry; and then everyone realized his face was unmasked, revealing emerald eyes brimming with worry and the features of Timothy Drake.

"Where's Nightwing?" he asked immediately, turning to Wally.

Barry waved the Boy Wonder over from the end of the hall. "Tim, come over here," he called.

Tim bolted forward, and was whisked away by the Flash into the medical room.

Everyone left in the room stared, eyes wide.

"Robin didn't… he didn't have on…" M'gann stuttered.

"Why'd they let _him _in?!" Conner suddenly growled, jumping to his feet angrily. "We're his friends too! I don't care if Bird Boy was trained by the same mentor, we should go in there too…"

Wally lunged forward, grapping the metahuman's arm. "Supes, no, don't cause problems…" He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Their ID's don't matter anymore," he murmured under his breath before looking up at the others with a grimace. "Robin is Tim Drake. He's in there cause Dick's his foster brother. They're… They're really close…"

Stunned silence dragged another long, two minutes before Blue Beetle spoke up again. "So… So that makes Mr. Wayne Batman?"

"Yes."

Artemis buried her face in her hands as Wally dove to her side again. "Oh god…" _I knew them. I knew them all. Batman was the one who gave me that scholarship. Nightwing was the weird little boy who followed me everywhere and then disappeared. And Robin, Tim, was that funny kid I met at the Wayne Gala months ago. I knew them all, and yet I didn't… oh god, they're all family…_

By now, everyone was either crying, vibrating with rage, or still too shocked to do or say everything.

_Why? Why is this all happening now? They finally know the Batman's secrets; but why'd they have to find out like this?_

Suddenly, Superboy was back on his feet again, eyes widening. "I hear something." He honed into his superhearing, and then jumped forward with incredible strength, sprinting towards the medical room.

"Conner, Superboy, wait!" Wally dashed to try and stop him as everyone else began to follow.

Conner stood outside the room only a second before punching the lock and shoving the door open. Wally slammed into the other boy; but then just stood there, mouth hanging open as his heart leapt into his mouth.

The room was chaos. Dr. Leslie Thompkins was rushing everywhere, Tim stood in a small corner on the brink of a meltdown, and Batman stood next to his son's side, holding an IV bag. And Dick was on the cot, motionless, pale to the point where his skin was a frighteningly white shade, completely still while the monitor beside him flatlined.

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**Another cliff hanger. Bam! Comment!**


	3. Only ONE Outcome

A hundred different possibilities ran through his mind, thousands of different ways he _could have _reacted. He could've tried to help the team save Dick, maybe just waited in the hall, comforted Artemis, been there for the team.

A hundred different possibilities, but only one was the outcome; and that was the one where Wally ran out of there like hell, pulsing past Flash as he called for him, ignoring M'gann and Artemis's cries. He saw his best friend lying there, white as the bleach walls, not moving. Not breathing. Not _living_.

So he did the one thing he knew how to do on Impulse – he ran. Right down to the bottom levels of the Watchtower, his fingers flying across the controls as he activated the zeta beams. He hadn't even realized he had started crying until he realized he couldn't see clearly anymore because the world was seemingly drowning in his tears. He heard Superboy, Barry, and a few others running after him; but it was too late. He was transported back to Earth just as the Flash managed to touch the back of his nephew's uniform before he disappeared.

A hundred different possibilities.

That was the one that played out for the Justice and Young Justice leagues.

The Kid Flash, Wallace West, found himself sprinting across Central City, zipping up the highway, not caring about where he was going.

_A hundred different possibilities…_

_This is the one I chose…_

He chose to run. Run through the highway. All the way to Gotham, miles away. By now, his side ached, heart pounding wildly off tune, panting and sweating.

A voice sounded in his head. _"Wally, hurry up, we're going to be late!"_

Dick, back when he was Robin. They used to have so much fun together.

_"__Hey Kid Mouth, slow down and take a breath, would you?"_

He'd always been the fun, teasing type. The perfect friend for Wally West.

Wally ran blindly through street after street.

A hundred different possibilities.

_"__Today's the day, Wally! We're a team! A real team!"_

There were a hundred different possibilities.

_"__Way to stay whelmed, Wally, you scared _both _dates away!" Laughing. Lots of laughing._

But the one that played out was Wally running, all the way to Gotham.

_"__You do realize your my best friend, right? I'd _die _for you."_

And then get struck violently by a minivan coming from the opposite road.

_"__I'm gonna miss you on the team, but I'm happy for you. Great job on the engagement bro…"_

The one that played out was him being thrown into the air like a rag doll before crashing onto the hard concrete, laying there in a pool of his own blood, gasping for breath as the tears came harder, more violently, slipping into sweet unconsciousness as his uncle arrived, screaming his name. Funny. He sounded almost like Dick at that point.

_"…__I will _ALWAYS BE HERE FOR YOU."

At the same time, Nightwing's, Dick Grayson's, regained a single pulse up in the Watchtower.

.

::::: ::::: ::::: ::::: :::::

.

_"__I'm sorry."_

One day passed.

_"__I miss you, Wally. Please wake up."_

Two.

_"__I am so, so, sorry."_

Three.

_"__Wake up, damnit, I love you! I need you! Wake up!"_

Five.

_"__Wally, please."_

One week.

_"__You moron… I feel like this is all my fault. I screwed up… I'm sorry, Wally. Please wake up."_

Two weeks.

_"__It hurts too much without you."_

Three weeks later.

_"__I don't know why bad things happen, but they do. And they almost always happen to the good people. The best people. I used to believe there was a reason, but… but Wally, if you don't wake up, I'll stop believing. I'll lose hope. So wake up."_

One month after the 'incident.'

_Damn it, Kid Mouth, I love you, so_

_WAKE_

_UP!"_

And Wally finally awoke from his coma.

"Wally!" As soon as those shining green eye opened for the first time in three weeks, Artemis flung herself on top of him, showering him in tears and kisses as she sobbed and screamed and laughed all at the same time. "Oh god, you _bastard_, how could you do that to me?! Wally, oh god…" She started crying again.

The Kid Flash weakly pushed himself up on the medical cot, wrapping his arms around her as he took in a deep breath. His mind was fuzzy, his entire body ached, but he could feel. He was _alive_. He bit his lip and closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. "I'm right here, babe," he whispered.

"I almost lost you, stupid," she whispered back, still crying softly. "Don't. Don't do that, Wally. Oh god, I felt like I was dying right there with you…"

"I'm sorry."

Suddenly, those two words brought back everything to his memory. The mission, the lightening, Dick getting hit, the tears and screams. He remembered running through the zeta tubes, down Central to Gotham, panicking, then the screeching of tires and then the pain, oh god the pain…

"Dick!" he cried out, causing Artemis to jump back a bit. "Dick! Oh god, Arty, what happened to Dick?!" He could feel himself vibrating, his body _vibrating_.

"Wally, Wally, please." He was scaring her, but she managed to stammer, "Wally, he's alive. Baby please, please calm down."

"What happened to him? What happened?! Oh, shit! I'm such an idiot!"

"Wally you were in a damn coma!" she barked suddenly, causing him to shut up for a minute while she poured everything out at once. "A coma! A damn coma! For a MONTH! You were asleep for a month, head injury, Dick's alive, he awoke a long time ago, he freaked out when we told him about you, you scared everyone, Young Justice has been on temporary hold, the Justice League is beside themselves with what to do, everything is falling apart, and f*** you, West, for making me think that I'd just lost the only family I have left!"

She collapsed into a whole new set of sobs against him, soaking his hospital gown. He drew her close, forcing his pulse to slow down as he took several deep breaths while she wept. "I-I'm s-so sorry, Arty," he choked out, mind reeling with all the new information. All that really stood out was "Dick's alive" and "I missed you". That was enough for now. He leaned against the pillows, dragging her down with him.

Nearly a half hour passed with just quiet sobs and quick breaths before finally, _finally_ both were calm enough to talk decently. Artemis sat up, and shoved some disheveled blonde hair behind her ear. Her tough-girl-act had softened quite a bit ever since she admitted her feelings for the red head.

They just stared into each other's eyes for a bit before Wally asked quietly, "Where's Dick now, Artemis? Was that his or your voice I heard while I was… asleep?"

She lowered her head. "Both. He left the room about an hour ago to get something to eat with Tim and Bruce… Everyone's been falling apart piece by piece, Wally," she breathed. "Nothing will _ever _be the same."

Wally was about to deny that, maybe a bit too high on his relief and the sudden rush of adrenaline that had surged through him. If Dick was alive and so was everyone else, then why did she still look so… broken?

As if on cue, voices were heard outside the small medical room. Familiar voices, oh so familiar.

And then the door swung open, almost in slow motion before Wally's eyes.

Richard Grayson stood before him, _alive_.

The younger boy's jaw dropped and his swirling blue eyes widened when he realized the redhead was out of the coma.

But Wally began shaking again as his racing mind took in the one piece of information that Artemis had left out.

Dick _wasn't_ standing. He was leaning, leaning on a pair of crutches. Wally's eyes trailed down to the jeans the younger was wearing, and he barely managed to see the outline of the leg braces holding the damaged limbs straight.

Two seconds passed before the thought processed in his trembling mind.

Nightwing was paralyzed.

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**A/N: Short, I know, but I wanted to update. So here it is. :p**


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